David Lee: Staying Strong and Still Teaching!

I recently spoke with former UFC fighter David Lee. Mr. Lee has fought a ton of good talent including

Vaughan Lee, Brad Pickett, Tyson Griffin and Ashleigh Grimshaw. Through many ups and downs, he continues to train and teach MMA as a way of life.

BJ: How was your UFC experience and how did they treat you?

DL: It was amazing. I think it was a bit of luck as I'd had a run of wins and the UFC was looking at the UK market. I was around the 9th or 10th Brit to fight in the UFC and I think the 4th or 5th to fight state-side. Huge honor. I wish I could do it again.

BJ: Your first pro fight was 11 years ago.  What made you get into the sport? 

DL: Well, I had trained in martial arts most of my life. I believe in testing your ability. Some do it in class and some go a step further and compete. Competing is the next step. It gives you questions and keeps your ego in check and also shows you what works.

BJ: Who would be your dream match or if you could fight anyone or rematch one of your losses, who would it be?

DL: The guy you face in a competition does not matter. You are there against yourself.

BJ: Out of all of the people you've faced, who hits the hardest? ...Like made you say, "Wow, he hits hard."

Andy Anderson: Big Time

Andy Anderson was a badass back in the day. Still is if you ask me. Andy fought at UFC 5 against a monster Jon Hess. Though things didn't work out for him, he continued to smash anyone in his way. He lived with a motto of, "anytime, anyplace, anywhere."

I contacted him just to see how he was doing. Here is what he had to say.


Hello BJ

Great to hear from you, As for me, my case looks like it's going well. I think God only knows about that, visit and read free-andy.com. 

I still talk to some of the older fighters from time to time. Before the UFC, we were fighting in tough-man contests all over the world or at least that what some people called them. I have been in to Tae Kwon Do from the time I was 7 and am very good at it I may add. My teacher, Master Kim from Ok city was/is one of the worlds best in demonstrations. I have been just a good fighter from the club business to cash fights, from Japan to Mexico I like to fight. Tank Abbott - the truth be known, is really a nice guy who had one hell of a punch. I dropped one of his boys in Japan in a club. Long story, but it ended well at least for me.

If you combine all of our talents from the past, you get the new MMA fighter that everyone is training for now. We all had skills but some were just as RAW as a street fighter, and now we have the MMA Game. That used to just be a way of life for most of us back then. My old motto was I'll go any time any place for any reason, and now it's on every TV in the world.

Paul Jones, American Badass

Paul Jones, American badass. Mr. Jones has not stepped into the cage in nearly 14 years but continues to teach wrestling. In the four year MMA career, he amassed an 11-1-1 record. Besides Royce Gracie, there are not too many people with a record that good. Paul fought for the UFC twice in that run going 1-1 with a win over Flavio Luiz Moura and a TKO loss to the Iceman, Chuck Liddell.

Paul remembers the nasty elbow that Chuck hit him with when he was trying to pummel in to get double underhooks. "I felt that warm sensation as soon as he hit me and I knew I was cut."

"I do still follow MMA and I attended UFC 101 in Philadelphia. The old days were so low key compared to now. I think there were about 20 people that watched the weigh-ins at UFC 22 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. We came in several days before the fights and they treated us very well."

Bob Gilstrap: UFC 17 Veteran Still in the Game

I recently caught up with Bob Gilstrap, UFC 17 veteran.

April 2014
Guru: In 1997, you had your first pro-recorded fight against Chris Munsen. Why did you choose to get into MMA then and what kind of background did you have for that fight?

BG: My story is this: I had always been interested in martial arts. Growing up I was very over weight and my nickname in high school was "fat kid". My home life growing up was pretty tough and I had multiple times seen my mother get beat on and wished when I was young that I could do something about it. I was always fascinated with Bruce Lee. After high school I moved away to where I knew no one so to fill my time I looked into martial arts. I first got involved in Taekwondo. Most people go once or twice a week for an hour or so; I was going every night for several hours or until they kicked me out. Needless to say, I excelled fairly quickly at it going through the first 6 belts in 6 months. As soon as they allowed it I began competing in their tournaments. I was a purple belt at the time and was entered in one of the black belt tournaments and was on the opposite side of the tournament from a guy who was a black belt and running through the competition. I did not meet up with him until the finals and was the only guy to even score a point against him (though I was not a black belt at the time). Before the end of the tournament I attempted a spinning crescent kick and landed wrong hurting my knee. Therefore putting me out of the tournament. My problem with Taekwondo was in fact it was a point based martial art, not actual contact. In point-based martial arts, it comes down to physics. The smaller, leaner or lighter the opponent is then the faster he or she is. Well I knew that though these people might be faster, I was surely tougher and stronger so I started to seek out full contact Martial arts. About 6 months after I had heard about a gym in Kirkland Washington called AMC. 

Robert Lucarelli: Road to Recovery

I recently spoke with Robert Lucarelli. Robert fought at UFC 2 in a losing battle to Orlando Weit in just under 3 minutes due to knees. Mr. Lucarelli holds victories in submission grappling in 1998 NAGA Novice Super Heavyweight. IGC opening match winner. He is a BJJ Blue Belt/Purple Belt under Marcio Simas. He trained catch wrestling under coach Billy Robinson. He also worked as a licensed massage therapist for a Florida Hospital and taught High Intensity Strength Training for Golds Gym. Though he no longer fought professionally, he continued to teach and train until his body could no longer handle it.

Mr. Lucarelli mentioned that he was last active in the IGC submission grappling tournament and was training UFC fighters Seth Petruzelli, and Luigi Fioravanti.

Unfortunately, all of this exercise took a toll on his body. He has since had a total right hip replacement. Pins in his shoulder from torn rotator cuff and back fusion L5-S1. The shoulder and hip are better, but the back fusion failed to grant onto the bone. The section that affected his nerves were neglected and was unable to walk for nearly two years. Next month (May 2014), he is having the L3-L4 fusion to get feeling and function back into his legs and also fix L5-S1. He then has to debate getting vertebrates fused in his neck.

Darrell Gholar: Road to Recovery

Today I write to inform about Darrell Gholar. Darrell fought a tough veteran in Evan Tanner at UFC 18 and lost due to a rear-naked choke. Though he amassed a record of 5-6 in his career, he fought some of the best. Mr. Gholar was originally from Chicago Illinois. He also lived in Brazil, Los Angeles and Texas. Mr. Gholar excelled as a world-class wrestler; a 3-time US Greco-Roman National Champion. He was an Olympic alternate and a World Team captain. Mr. Gholar was also the 2000 World Vale Tudo Champion.

As time progresses, the fighters of the past get older and disappear into the shadows. It is up to us to keep their legends strong. Unfortunately, December 8th, 2013 - Mr. Gholar had a massive stroke that temporarily paralyzed him. Darrell still has a lot of life in him and he is not ready to go.